Tyr left the area and thanks to the power of being a resident in this Kingdom, he knew where the individual lounges were and this included Tor's place of abode.
Tyr knew he could approach two ways, knock the guards out and finish him off in his sleep but this would only raise alarm and make disposing of Ludvig's body even more difficult and the other option was formally requesting an audience with him.
He was the son of Ragnar, even Tor would be honoured to give him an audience.
Tyr thought about his options but ultimately, option B would not be applicable if Tor was wasted and Tyr had no idea what would happen if he was allowed to wake up with a sober head.
"Who is there?" A voice questioned, Tyr knew who it was the moment he heard it.
It was Grjötgard, Tyr had a view of him that was false and this was the playful version of Grjötgard.
"Oh, it is you, Tyr. What are you doing here?" Grjötgard questioned and Tyr heaved a sigh of relief.
He did not know what would have happened if it was Salgard that found him as these two have not met alone ever since that incident and Tyr wanted it to stay that way for as long as possible.
"Grjötgard, I just thought I would stretch my leg," Tyr said casually, he was an expert at lying unlike his wife so Grjötgard did not have any reasons to doubt his words but his timing was something else.
He had no reason to be walking outside the hall when everyone was on high alert.
Grjötgard was no fool and judging from what Salgard told him, Tyr was not either.
"Hahaha! It is important for a man to stay nimble," Grjötgard muttered and Tyr responded with a heartfelt laugh right before Grjötgard swiped his hand towards Tyr's head. Tyr immediately ducked but unknown to him, he was not Grjötgard's target, but rather the bug that was flying close to Tyr.
Grjötgard smiled the moment Tyr made a move as he looked him right in the eyes.
"It looks like you still have reasons to be on guard, how bizarre…" Grjötgard's voice was different, he sounded completely different than he did a second ago.
Tyr slowly rose to his feet because he knew something was up.
"Y-You startled me… You cannot blame after what happened before," Tyr used the Vegard incident as some sort of deflection but Grjötgard was not having any of it but decided to play along.
"Forgive my manners, I was a little excited but things are not looking good considering that Ludvig is missing," Grjötgard intentionally phrased his words this way because he wanted to see how Tyr would react.
"Who is that? Was he the one that man was searching for?" Tyr asked.
"You mean King Gryting. And yes, he was the one," Grjötgard was keeping up with the conversation and spoke about it.
"Well, I hope he finds him," Tyr said as he walked past Grjötgard, he had no business dragging the conversation.
"You know…" Grjötgard said, prompting Tyr to stop in his tracks.
"The words coming out of your mouth did not match the look in your eyes…" Grjötgard said and the tension in the air was evident.
"What do you mean by that?" Tyr asked.
"A man's eyes do not lie, Tyr Ragnarsson…" Grjötgard said, Tyr acted surprised but never once did the look in his eyes change. Tyr kept on walking as he did not bother trying to explain himself because he realized that the power he had made him just as invincible as Estrid.
He was lying and Grjötgard picked up on it.
-
The conversation with Ludvig had gone a lot differently than everyone originally thought.
Estrid did shit him down but that was not the only time that they spoke that night, Ludvig had a few drinks in him before speaking with Estrid once again.
The conversation was a lot calmer and there was nothing out of the ordinary so to speak.
He was not inappropriate nor did he attempt to disrespect her marriage as he did previously, he accepted that Tyr was the better man.
This was a far cry from the image that was initially painted about existing hostility.
Estrid briefly left him and spoke to Tor regarding their past but Tor was not emotionally attached to her so it was a lot easier conversing with him.
She informed Tor that she would be going for a bit and that if Tyr was to come, he should inform her husband about her whereabouts.
She returned to conversing with Ludvig before leaving the area but Ludvig followed soon after.
"Are you sure this is alright, Estrid?" Ludvig asked and Estrid nodded, Ludvig was reluctant because he knew that marriage was a sacred thing yet Estrid was suggesting such a thing.
It was a consensual non-consent and Estrid gave him that necklace as a sign of her approval for him to act as he pleased.
Ludvig was a man in the end and he could not pass up the chance of bedding Estrid even if she was committed to another as he believed it was him she loved. Ludvig was convinced and he was down for some role-play, and that was why he did what he did.
Ludvig was not a scum, he was just a man that let his hormones get the better of him.
Estrid did this to stroke her own ego, she knew that Tyr would come, and she had set up the scene for that.
Estrid could have fought harder but she did not and now it made sense.
Ludvig simply thought it was a scene but he did not know it would cost him his life.
Tyr came but Estrid did not count on him being so violent as she assumed he did not like her.
This was her extreme way of testing his love for her, and it backfired when Tyr broke his arm.
Estrid knew that Ludvig would spill eventually, he did not tell Tyr it was Estrid's idea because he knew if he did, it might ruin whatever little chance he had with her and that was why he attempted to fight Tyr to show Estrid his masculine side.
But the moment Tyr broke his arm, Estrid knew that Ludvig could not live or he risked exposing what she did.
Estrid knew her father would not believe him but that is the thing with rumours, there would always exist a few that believe it. Estrid did not want or need that kind of attention hence why she gave Tyr the go-ahead to kill him.
Ludvig could not speak even if he wanted to because Tyr made sure to eliminate that part of him or he could scream for help so dialogue was not even an option after the first punch.
-
Estrid was done telling Salgard the raw truth because if anyone could understand, it would be him.
She expected to be scolded or for Salgard to look surprised by this action but he was as aloof as ever with that creepy smile on his face.
"Tyr Ragnarsson killed Ludvig for a reason such as that?" Salgard questioned, he was more interested in the reason as opposed to the person killed.
The Kingdom Ludvig hailed from could not pose a threat to Rogaland and Salgard knew this.
Estrid nodded to confirm his question and all she saw was Salgard's smile becoming more twisted.
"That boy is fucking insane…" Salgard muttered, this was the first time that Estrid heard him speak like this.
"Do not say anything to anyone, I will handle it," Salgard said as he walked away.
Estrid was surprised she was not scolded or judged, Salgard did not even seem to care for the most despite this having the potential to start a war.
"Uncle Salgard, what are you going to do?" Estrid asked but she got no response, just as she expected.
However, she knew that Salgard would never do anything that would negatively impact Rogaland.
-
Thorgard was suspicious of what was happening but there was nothing he could do.
He watched King Gryting, Gryting had removed his coat around his back to reveal his heavily scarred right arm as it had been burnt.
Thorgard could not shake something off with this entire thing but Vegard soon muttered something under his breath, still seated around the neck of his older brother but he was barely audible.
"What did you say?" Thorgard asked and Vegard reiterated but a lot clearer than the first time.
"It is the cripple…" Vegard repeated and Thorgard immediately shushed him. Thankfully, no one heard him as he quickly removed his brother from his neck to caution him. This was no way to address a King.
"Vegard, watch your tone!" Thorgard said but he paused briefly, why did Vegard speak as he had already seen him?
"He is the cripple I saw when I was keeping watch when big brother went to find food," Vegard said, he had no idea what the implication of what he had said meant but the problem was, neither did Thorgard.
Only Rugalf and Grjötgard were aware that anyone seen in that mission was an ally to the man that had slaughtered their brothers and this meant that King Gryting, was a traitor.
